Brick-making machine



June 24, 1930. p, DAVls 1,766,286

BRICK MAKING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Sheets-Sheet2 R. P. M. DAVIS BRICK MAKING MACHINE Filed June'll, 1929 June 24, 1930.

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P. M. DAVIS 1,766,286

BRICK MAKING MACHINE June 24, 1930.

FiledJune '11, 1-929 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 June 24, 1930. P, DA 1,766,286

-BRICK MAKING MACHINE 'Filed June 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet June 24, 1930.R. P. M. DAVIS BRICK MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet .5

Filed June 11, 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 iJNF-EEZD STATES PATENT@FFPCE BRICK-MAKING Macrame Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to brick making machines, and its object 1s'toimprove and perfect the work of such machines, particu- V larly tohandle the filled and empty molds and loaded and unloaded pallets in amore expeditious manner, during the various operations of the machine,than heretofore.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consisting in theconstruction, combination and novel arrangements of parts, will be fullyunderstood from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, of which:

Figure 1 is a side diagrammatic view of the machine showing thedrivingfland actuating mechanism for effecting mold move- J ment andoperation of other moving parts;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation showing the direction of traveland movements of the molds and pallets during the various operations ofthe machine;

Figure 3 is a plan View partly in section talren on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2, showing the molds and pallets at upper position or level;

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, taken on the line 41-4 ofFigure 2, show ing the molds and pallets at lower position or level;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the main frame ofthe brick making machine comprising horizontally disposed base beams 2,upper horizontal beams 3, vertical end beams or uprights 4L andintermediate upright beams 17, and 21 all suitably connected togetherand supported upon the floor 5 of the building in which the machine isinstall-ed. Suitably mounted in and supported by the frame 1 are upperand lower pairs of beveled rails 6 and 7 respectively, along which openmolds S of the multiple compartment type are adapted to be moved duringthe various operations of the machine, the ends of the molds beinnotched as at 9 to accommodate 1929. SeriaINo. 370,132.

the reversely beveled rails. It will be noted that these rails serve asa guide and support for the mold and restrain the latter against upwardmovement;

Position adjacent the forward ends of the rails 6 and 7 is a moldcarriage or elevator 10 for lowering the empty molds one at a time fromthe upper'to the lower mold level of the machine. The elevator comprisesend brackets 11 to which angle irons 12 are secured, as by means ofbolts 13, each end being'provided with a pair of flanged wheels 1%mounted on axles 15. These wheels en age and are guided by verticallydisposed tracks 16 secured to frame uprights 17, the wholebeingsuspended between the tracks from the lower ends of rods 17, hereinafterreferred to. A short beveled track 19 is suitably secured to each endbracket 11, to which tracks the molds are transferred from the uppertracks 6 and from there to the lower tracks 7 in a manner laterdescribed.

A second mold carriageor elevator 22 similar to the one just describedis located at the opposite end, of the machine adjacent the rear ends ofthe tracks 7 and 6 for the purpose of elevating the empty molds from thelower to-the upper level of the machine. This elevator comprises awheeled frame of substantially the same construction as the frame ofelevator 10, small flanged wheels [23 being provided for engagement withvertically disposed tracks 24 secured to uprights 20. Short beveledtracks 25 similar to the tracks 19 previously described are secured tothe frame of the elevator- 22 by means of brackets 26. The elevator 22,serves the purpose of a stripper as well as an elevator for the emptymolds as will be presently nnderstoou.

Whenthe elevator 10 reaches its lowermost or Figure 2 dotted lineposition, reciprocating push rods 27, actuated in a man ner alsohereinafter described and guided at each forwardiend of the machine byguide rollers 28, engage the mold on the elevator and push the latterfrom the short elevator tracks 19 onto the lower tracks 7. It will ofcourse be understood that the tracks fi and 7 will be in horizontalalinement with the corresponding short tracks on the elevators when thelatter are at their respective upper and lower positions. As the mold 8is advanced over the tracks 7, depending lugs 28 formed on the lowercorners of each mold engage the pallet 29, which has pre viously beenadvanced from any suitable source of pallet supply, not shown, along thetracks 30 and 31 to pallet station A by means of continuously drivenchains 32 and 33 re spectively, the chains being provided with dogs 3%and 35 for picking up the pallets. The mold and pallet will then moveforwardly together.

l1 suitably supported stationary cover plate 36, over which the mold ispushed, is preferably positioned between the mold and pallet. As thecover plate is somewhat narrower than the length of the pallet, the lugs28 extend downwardly beyond and at each side of the cover plate andengage the ends of the pallet. The pallet will thus be advanced with themold, the latter having passed from the short elevator tracks 19 to thelower mold tracks 7, will continue its travel along these tracks whilethe pallet will ride on tracks 37 secured to the frame by means ofbrackets 38. At the completion of one stroke of the push rods 27, themold and pallet will have been moved to filling station B. The coverplate which is stationary and affords a smooth surface over which themold travels is preferably provided with recesses 39 to permit theescape of brick making material which may have dropped thereon.

Forward and return movement of the push rods 27 is effected by means ofa pair of cams 10, one for each rod, fixedly mounted on cam shaft 11, inturn rotatably supported in bearing brackets 42. A pair of rocker arms413, one for each cam 40, and arranged in the path of movement of thecams, are pivotally mounted upon a fixed shaft or fulcrum 44, each armbeing slotted at its upper end as at 45 for the reception of pins 46projecting from the push rods. The lower angularly disposed ends of therocker arms are provided with enlarged or weighted portions as at 47 forthe purpose of returning the arms to normal position, as will be readilyunderstood; One revolution of cams 4O pushes the rods 27 forwardly witha stroke sulhcientto transfer the mold 8, which has justbeen lowered byelevator 10, from the elevator to filling station position B. When thismold 8 has ad vanced half the distance of the complete pusher armstroke, it picks up a pallet 29, as previously described, and thenengages the next proceeding mold previously advanced to filling stationposition and during the second half stroke pushes it to the slickingstation or position C, the mold already at the slicking station orposition being pushed into the stripper or D position. In thisconnection it should be noted that the stroke between filling andslicking and between slicking and stripping positions is only one halfof that from elevator 10 to filling position.

Rotation of the cams 10 is effected by means of power communicated frommotor 48 through motor pinion gear 41-9, in mesh with large gear 50,mounted on transverse shaft 51, in turn connected to shaft 52 by chain53 operating over sprockets 5 1- and 55 on the respective shafts. Shaft52 is connected to a dra chain shaft 56, by means of sprocket and chainconnection indicated in a general way by numeral 57, the shaft 56 beingconnected with the shaft 41, previously described, by means of sprocketand chain connection also indicated in a general way by numeral 58. Itwill thus be seen that rotation of the motor pinion gear 49 in ananti-clockwise direction causes the shafts 51, 52, 56 and 41 and thecams 40 to rotate in a clockwise direc ion; the latter in turn causingthe push rods 27 to reciprocate for the purpose previously explained.

lVhen a mold 8 and its pallet 29 reach filling position B, the mold andcover plate are clamped tightly together by elevating a pedestal 59 intocontact with the bottom of the pallet. The pedestal 59 is formed withtwo spaced leg members 64 which extend downwardly between a pair ofU-beam frame members 121 and are connected together at their lower endsby means of a tie rod 122. Vertical reciprocating movement of thepedestal is accomplished by means of two pair of upper and lower togglearms 60 and 61, pivotally connected together by a cross rod 62, in turnpivotally connected to an actuating rod 63, the latter being formed witha collar 127 which loosely receives the cross rod 62. The upper togglearms 60 are pivotally connected together and to the legs 64; of thepedestal by a cross rod or shaft 65, and the lower toggle arms 61 arepivotally connected to a rod 66, the ends of which are ournaled inbearings 123, in turn secured between the U-beam frame members 121 bysuitable fastenings, as at 12st. The actuating rod 63 is also pivotallyconnected to the upper end of an arm 67, the lower end of which is fixedto shaft 14. Consequently when shaft 44 is actuated in the mannerpreviously described'upper toggle arms 60 will straighten out and causethe pedestal 59 to rise into engagement with and press the pallettightly to the cover plate, and also press the latter to the mold.During this movement of the pedestal, the latter is guided by guiderolls 125, mounted on shafts 126, suitably mounted in the frame 1.

After the pedestal has been elevated the mold is filled with a charge ofbrick making which is caused by means, not shown, to pass across andback over the top of the mold at a predetermined level. By this timeanother mold 8 has been lowered by means of eleva tor 10 from upper tolower mold level, and is similarly advanced by pusher arms 27 untilstuds engage the mold ahead and push the latter into slicking position0, the mold which was previously at the slicking station being pushedinto the'stripping station or position D.

While at position C, the brick in the mold 8 are slicked by means of aslicker plate 71 supported at each end from cranks 72, actuatedcontinuously by any suitable means, not shown, for causing the slickerplate to pass across the top of the mold both while the latter is intransit and stationary. After the slicking operation, the mold is movedto stripping position D, whereupon the brand imprint plate or push board73 descends until it rests upon the top of the brick, imprinting thebrand and holding the brick against upward movement until the mold hasbeen lifted off the brick by the combined mold elevator and stripper 22,thus leaving the brick on the pallet. It will be noted that the mold intransit from slicking to stripping position is pushed off the tracks 7onto the short tracks 25 carried by the combine'd'elevator and stripper22, and that themold'is thus free to be elevated to the upper level,after the stripping operation, in a manner presently described.

. After the mold has been stripped,the pallet with brick thereon ispushed to bobbing position E, along rails '74, by means of chains 127,having mold engaging dogs 128 secured thereto. At this position, abobbing plate 7 5 is pressed gently into contact with the top surface ofthe brick in order to smooth off any frills or irregularities resultinfrom the stripping operation. The

loaded pallet is then propelled along tracks 74, into the racker, notshown. 1

The bobbing plate 7 5 is pivotally supported at the lower end of rods 76, connected at their upper ends to arms 7 7 in turn'fulcrumed at 81 inthe frame upright 4; These arms 77 are provided intermediate their endswith small rollers 7 8 which engage and rest upon recessed rollers orcams 79 mounted on the shaft51 previously referred to. Consequentlyduring each revolution of the shaft 51, the small rollers 78 on arms 77drop into the recesses 80 in cams 79, thus permitting the bobbing plate75 to drop momentarily by gravity just sufficiently long to gentlyengage the top of the brick, whereupon the rollers 7 8 will ride out ofthe recesses and the plate 75 will be elevated inan obvious manner andthe pallet and brick will be moved into the racker Shortly before-theloaded mold-=8 which has'been advanced to stripping position is strippedfrom the brick and elevated to upper level position by the combinedelevator and stripper 22, the brick in, the mold are pressed tightly tothe pallet by means of the push board or brand imprintmember 73 andpedestal 82. Push board.73.carries a plurality of .pads83, one foreachmold compartment 84:: and of corresponding size, the whole beingsuspended from. rods 85 connected attheir lower ends to opposite ends ofthe push board. The upper ends of.

the rods 85 are connected .to the free ends of rocker arms 86 fulcrumedat :87 to tlie frame uprights l, the intermediate portions of these armshaving small rollers .88 in engagement with a pair of cams 89 mounted onshaft 51. Rotation of the shaft 51 causes the cams 88 to force therocker arms 86 downwardly thus imparting .a cone spending movement tothe push board 73, return movement of the board being effected by meansof counterweight '90 connected "at one end to cable 91passingoverpulleys 92 and at tie other end connected'to the free ends of rockerarm 86. Each cam 8911s formed with a slight hump or protuberance 93 forimparting a momentary additional pressure to the push board to insure.clear imprint of the brand on the brick.

'The pedestal 82, is identical in construction and operation to that ofthe pedestal 59, and as the rod 63 is connected :to the toggle arms 94and'95 of pedestal82,suffice it to say that the two pedestals are'actuated. simultaneously, and by the same :means.

ping position are being tightly held by the pusher board 7-3, thecombined mold elevator and stripper 22 is caused to rise slightly inadvance of the pusher board and lift the.

mold off or away from the brick, thus leav ing the latter on the palletand free to be moved by dogs 128 on chains 127 to bobbing position.Upward movement ofthe eleva tor is arrested when the short elevatortracks 25 arrive at thehorizontal plane of the upper level tracks 6, butthe push board continues to rise somewhat higher, or until the dowelpins 96 projecting downwardly from each end of the push board arewithdrawn from the centering holes 97 formed in opposite ends'of themold. This movement of the elevator '22 is effected by means of a pairof rocker arms 98, fulcrumed at 99 to frame uprights l, and at theirfree ends being connected to opposite ends of the elevator 22 by meansof rods 100. Intermediate the ends of these rocker arms 98 arepositioned small rollers 101 which are engaged by and rest upon a pairof cams 102 fixedly mounted upon opposite ends of shaft 51. Consequentlyas the shaft 51 rotates the elevator 22 will be raised by the cams orpermitted to descend by gravity according to which faces of the cams arein contact with the rollers 101.

WVhen the combined elevator and stripper 22 arrives at the upper moldlevel position, with the short tracks 25 aligned horizontally with thetracks 6, the mold 8 on the elevator 22 is engaged by dogs 103 on chains104 in turnrunning over gears 105 and 106 fixed to the shafts 56 and 107respectively, driven from motor 48 through chain drives 53 and 57previously referred to. At each complete rotation of chain 104 a mold ismoved from the tracks 25 to and along the tracks 6 and into the washer108, where it engages and pushes the next proceeding mold out of thewasher onto the tracks 19 of elevator 10, it being understood that theelevators 10 and 22 will make one round trip for each completerevolution of the chain 104. As a mold 8 is deposited in or above thewasher 108, a cover plate 109 drops into contact with and seats the topof the mold, whereupon water or other washing fluid is ejected fromnozzles 110, from a suitable source of supply, not shown, thus cleaningthe sides of the mold. The cover plate is then lifted and the succeedingmold pushes the washed mold into the elevator 10, by means of which itis carried to the lower mold level, to complete the cycle.

The cover plate 109 is supported by rods 111 connected at their upperends to one end of a pair of rocker arms 112, in turn fulcrumed at 113to the machine frame, the other end of each rocker arm being providedwith a small roller 114 engaged by and resting upon a cam 115 mounted'onshaft 52, previously described as being driven from chain 53. The weightof that portion of the rocker arms which carry the rollers 114, plus theweight of the rollers is suflicient to normally maintain the cover platein raised position. Consequently it will be seen that the cover platewill be lowered by action of the cams 115 and raised by force ofgravity.

WVhen a mold 8 has been pushed from the washer into the elevator 10, thelatter drops by gravity to lower mold level position, and after its moldhas been pushed therefrom on to tracks 7 in a manner previouslyexplained, the elevator is returned to the upper level to receiveanother empty mold;

This movement is effected by means of a pair of rocker arms 116fulcrumed at one end at 117, in the main frame 1 of the machine. Theserocker arms which are connected to the elevator 10 by rods 118 eachcarry a roller 119 intermediate their ends,

which rollers engage a pair of cams 120, fixedly mounted upon oppositeends of the shaft 52.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as my invention is:

1. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs of horizontalmold tracks, a pair of vertical tracks adjacent each end of saidhorizontal tracks, an elevator confined between one of said pairs ofvertical tracks for lowering the molds from said upperto said lowertracks, a combined elevator and stripper confined between the other ofsaid pairs of vertical tracks for stripping the molds from the bricktherein and elevating the molds from the lower to the upper tracks,means for transferring the molds from the elevators to the horizontaltracks and from the horizontal tracks to the elevators, and means forfilling the molds, slicking the brick therein, and washing the molds intransit over said horizontal tracks.

2. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower rigid horizontallydisposed mold supporting members, an elevator at one end for loweringthe molds from the upper to the lower mold supporting members, acombined elevator and stripper at the other end of said mold supportingmembers for stripping the molds from the brick therein and elevating themolds from the lower to the upper mold supporting members, means forreciprocating the elevators vertically between the said upper and lowermembers, rigid means for confining the vertical path of movement of saidelevators, means for pushing the molds from the elevators to the moldsupporting members and from the mold supporting members to theelevators, and means for filling the molds, slicking the brick therein,and washing the molds in transit over said mold supporting means.

' 3. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs ofhorizontally disposed mold supporting tracks, vertically disposed pairsof tracks adjacent the ends of the horizontal tracks, a washer forcleaning the mold while on the upper tracks, an elevator in one pair ofsaid vertically disposed tracks for lowering the washed mold to saidlower tracks, means for transferring the mold from the elevator to andadvancing the same across the lower tracks, means for filling andslicking the mold in transit over the lower tracks, a combined elevatorand stripper mounted in the other of said pairs of vertical tracks forstripping the mold from the brick and lifting the stripped mold back tothe upper tracks, and means for transferring the mold from the combinedstripperand elevator to the upper tracks and advancing the mold oversaid upper tracks back to and through the washer to said first mentionedelevator.

4. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower beveled moldsupporting tracks in combination with molds having recessed ends adaptedto slidably engage said tracks, elevators for transferring the mold fromone level to the other, said elevators having tracks corresponding tothe mold supporting tracks, means for moving the elevators to bring thetracks on the elevators in alinement with the mold supporting tracks,means for alternately pushing the molds from the elevator tracks to themold supporting tracks and from the mold supporting tracks to theelevator tracks, when the elevators are at their respective upper andlower positions.

5. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs ofhorizontally disposed rigid mold supporting tracks, means fortransferring an empty mold from the upper to the lower tracks, means forpushing the mold along the lower tracks, means forfilling the mold andslicking the brick therein in transit over said lower tracks, means forstripping the mold from the brick, said last mentioned means alsoadapted to elevate the mold to the upper tracks,

and means for pushing the mold from the c said last mentioned means ontoand over the upper tracks in the reverse direction to the line of travelof the mold over the lower tracks.

6. A brick making machine comprising upper level and lower level moldsupporting tracks, a mold elevator adjacent one end of the tracks forlowering the molds. from upper to lower lever position, an elevatoradjacent the opposite end of said tracks for raising the molds from thelower to upper level position, means for raising and lowering theelevators, means operative when the elevators are in upper levelposition for pushing the molds from one elevator along the upper tracksonto the second eleva tor, means operative when the elevators are inlower level position for pushing the molds from the said second elevatoralong the lower tracks back onto the other of said elevators, and meansfor slicking the brick in the molds and for washing the molds in transitover said tracks.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

ROY P. M. DAVIS.

